2 Samuel 21:17

Hebrew Bible

15 Another battle was fought between the Philistines and Israel. So David went down with his soldiers and fought the Philistines. David became exhausted. 16 Now Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, had a spear that weighed 300 bronze shekels, and he was armed with a new weapon. He had said that he would kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men took an oath saying, “You will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel! 18 Later there was another battle with the Philistines, this time in Gob. On that occasion Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of Rapha. 19 Yet another battle occurred with the Philistines in Gob. On that occasion Elhanan the son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

Psalm 132:17

Hebrew Bible

15 I will abundantly supply what she needs; I will give her poor all the food they need. 16 I will protect her priests, and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 17 There I will make David strong; I have arranged a lamp for my anointed one.28 18 I will humiliate his enemies, and his crown will shine.”

 Notes and References

"... Both the time for lighting and for extinguishing the lamps were used as time specifications for other activities (Exodus 30:7-8) or simply for indicating a certain time of day (1 Samuel 3:3). As natural light takes on positive associations based on its role as dispeller of darkness, a congruent metaphoric range extends to the artificial light from lamps: e.g. 'For you are my lamp, Yahweh, and Yahweh will illuminate my darkness' (2 Samuel 22:29). So, too, we should note the lamp imagery applied to David and the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; 2 Kings 18:19; 2 Chronicles 21:7; Psalm 132:17). On the other hand, extinguishing a lamp is a way of referring to divine punishment (Proverbs 20:20; 24:20; Job 18:5-6; 21:17) ..."

Robbins, Ellen Studies in the Prehistory of the Jewish Calendar (p. 89) New York University, 1989

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